Blood Horizons
by xxreaderxxo
Summary: Clover has lost everything, everyone, all of her hopes and dreams. She only knows how to keep her sister and herself alive. What happens when a certain man enters her life? Will they stay together to survive, or go their separate ways? *There will be sexual situations as the story progresses. I want this to be an actual story, so be patient please! :)*
1. Chapter 1

chapter one.

_Shit. Shit shit shit. _

My breathing comes fast and short, a lose peice of hair floating in the front of my mouth. The walker shuffles around me, it's moans and growls echoing through the house like an omen. I squeeze my eyes shut quickly and re-open them, silently wishing I hadn't agreed to leave Rebecca by herself in the house next to us.

I slowly reach for my knife, it's jagged edge in need of sharpening. The knife is the length of my fingertips to my elbow. I grasp the handle with my callused hands and flex my fingers. The walker reaches my hallway, no doubt following the sent of life.

I crouch on the side of the bed, waiting for the stinch of decay to reach my nostrils. The shuffling moves closer, the squeeking of the floorboards making me wince.

Just as the walker rounds the corner, I stand. It's lifeless eyes seem to light at the sight of me and bile rises in my throat.

"_Come on_." I whisper. It moves quicker and begins to reach for my body but I throw my body to the right and slam the knife into the walkers skull. Blood flies from the wound, covering my hands and the side of my face. I use my booted foot as leverage as I pull my knife from the rotten flesh. The walker falls to the ground with a thud and I slam my boot down into it's head for good measure. You can never be too sure.

I run from the room, grabbing my backpack on the way out. I had filled it with canned vegetables and meat, juice packets, and a jacket for Rebecca. I fly down the stairs two at a time, wiping my light blonde hair from my face and scrubbing at the blood at the same time. When I reach the bottom of the stairs, I round the corner. My face slams into something solid, knocking me onto my back and my knife flies from my hand. A walker drops immedietly to the ground and snaps at my face. I hold my breath against the stinch and slam my forearm into it's throat, hoping to block it's mouth as I reach desperately for my knife. It's just outside of my reach.

I snatch my hand back and build my strength to push the walker off of my body. It falls to the side and I don't waste my time in getting up and lunging for my knife. I bend to reach for it but feel a hand wrap around my ankle. A scream flows from my mouth and I begin to kick at the walker, trying desperately to shove my boot into its face.

I claw at the ground just as the door behind us slams open. I can't turn my head enough to see what has come in, but I let myself accept that it's another walker. Just as I feel my boot begin to slide off of my foot at the walkers attempt to sink it's teeth into my flesh, the hand holding me goes limp. I scramble quickly to my knife and turn around with it pointed at the doorway.

The walker lies on the ground, motionless. My eyes find the arrow that connects to it's brain and the hand that yanks it out. My breath freezes in my throat as I trail my eyes from the hand, to the muscular arm, all the way to the eyes that meet my own. Dark hair falls across the man's forehead and light scruff covers his chin. I subconciously take in his slim but strong build, and crossbow that now hangs over his shoulder.

His eyes trail over me, from head to toe, looking for any sign of bitemarks. When his eyes reach mine again, I gulp.

"That was a close one, sweetheart." 


	2. Chapter 2

The man didn't stay long. After calling me sweetheart, and my staring, he turned back around and walked out of the house.

"Wait!" I call, running after him. "Hey, wait!" He turns to me quickly, holding on to the strap of his crossbow.

He looks at me like I'm an idiot. "You want more Walkers showin' up or somethin'?" He strides toward me and nudges me toward the side of the house we just left from. I stumble back, until we stand close together underneath a dying tree. Winter is well on it's way.

"Where are you going?" I ask, my eyes looking anywhere but at his.

"Where ya' think? I'm just goin'. Ain't no specific place."

I eye the crossbow on his back and knife resting against his hip. "You're the first living person I've seen in months."

"So?"

"So...maybe we should stick together for a while. At least until winter ends."

He looks at me with his eyes narrowed, no doubt wondering if I'm going to kill him in his sleep. "I don't think so, sweetheart." His voice is flat, and he turns to walk away again.

"Please!" I call out, "I won't be a burden. I'll find my own food and everything!"

He whips back around, annoyance clear in his features. "Girl, if you don't shut your mouth Walkers will be on us in no time." He studies me for a moment, before I see his mouth set and a nod of acceptance. "The second you try somethin', I'll shoot you."

I nod, trying to stop a relieved grin from spreading on my face.

"Come on, then. We need to move." Before he can move to walk towards the woods surrounding the neighborhood, I run past him and pick up my bag. Slinging it onto my shoulders, I run around the other side of the house. I hear his footsteps running behind me, and make it to the front door of the house next door before he can grab my arm.

"What do you think you're-"

I yank the door open and fly to the closet next to the stairs. "Becca, come on!" My voice comes out harshly and my eyes dart around the room. With a sharp twist, the man yanks my wrist. I turn to face him but he isn't looking at me anymore.

"Clover?" A tiny voice comes from behind me. He slowly lets go of my arm and I don't hesitate to turn and pick up my little sister. Her brown hair is ratty and her face is smudged with dirt, but she's alright.

I turn around to the man once again but he's already walking out of the house. I hurry behind him, one arm around my little sister and my other hand holding on to the bag strap.

As we walk toward the woods, the man pulls a cigarrette out of his pocket, and lights it quickly. I watch the smoke rise from the end of the cigarrette and pour out of his mouth as he exhales.

He glances back at us, "You coulda' mentioned there were two of ya'."

I quicken my pace to walk beside him. "Well now you know."

~*~*~*

That night we make camp atop a hill. From our height we can see around us completely, but that also means anything can see us too. We don't light a fire.

I pull my little sister's sleeping bag out of the book bag, spilling her crackers on the grass. "Shit." I mumble, quickly picking them up and dusting them off. With a second thought, I throw them down the side of the hill. Anything could have died here. Or come back.

"Becca, get over here." I'm quiet, not wanting to alert anything that might be close by. My little sister walks over, wiping her dirty hands on her shirt. I tug at the bottom hem of it playfully, "We'll have to find you something new soon." She smiles at me.

My little sister has never spoken much. When we were children, my mother would read us bedtime stories about the beginning of the world. The wonder that lit in Becca's eyes was pure and innocent. If I had known the end of the world was coming, I would have cherished that light.

Becca snuggles deep into her bag and I wipe stray hair off of her face. "I'll be right here, all night." She nods and closes her tired eyes. A child her age should never be this tired.

After her breathing becomes shallow and her face shows peace, I move to sit across from her on the hill. Trees surround one side of us and I feel his eyes following my every move. We hadn't talked much since he found us. After a while, I pretend he isn't there. I'm content with watching the night sky. That is, until I feel him sit beside me.

He lays his crossbow on the ground and I glance at him from beneath my eyelashes. My heart lurches in my chest when I see that he is looking at me too.

"You gonna tell me your name?" I ask, trying to break the silence.

He takes a drag from his ciggarrette and lays heavily on his back.

"Daryl."

Maybe my savior was the one who needed saving.


End file.
